I can’t believe it has been six years since my husband and I sat by candlelight debating whether or not we were cheating by not unplugging the fridge to participate in the very first Earth Hour. We will be participating again this Saturday night for Earth Hour 2012, where millions of people around the world go powerless for one hour to support the need for further awareness for climate change.
The event began in Sydney, Australia in 2007 where World Wildlife Fund, Australia encouraged individuals and businesses to go powerless for one hour. By 2011, the event had grown to millions of participants across 135 countries.
Earth Hour 2012 will continue the annual event with an added twist. This year you can log onto to YouTube and accept an “If You Will, I Will” challenge. You can also create your own “IYWIW” to challenge others to recycle, use less water, buy local, etc. by offering something of yourself. (i.e. “If you commit to recycling, I will bike to work for two weeks” etc.) See more here: IYWIW Challenge
This year I am very excited to share this event with my three-year-old daughter. We plan to do something with glow sticks and flashlights; we’ll let her take it from there! To participate, simply turn off and unplug everything in your home (except the fridge! J) for one hour beginning at 8:30 p.m. on March 31st.
What are you going to do for an hour without power?
Here are some ideas:
- Plan a romantic, candle lit dinner for your partner
- Tell ghost stories with the kiddos
- Pretend to “camp” inside and set up a tent and use flashlights
- Play flashlight hide and seek
- Be creative and enjoy an hour joining a fantastic movement across the world for the betterment of our planet!
Have Fun!
Buzz!
